“It wasn’t your fault. Or your mother’s. Honey, you were five years old. You shouldn’t have had to worry about your father laying a fucking hand on you! And neither of you deserved to endure anything that asshole dished out.”
The endearment along with the curse words slipped free so easily. I was pissed on his behalf and I needed him to hear me, to believe me, almost more than I needed air.
His eyes were like a tornado, swirling from one emotion to the next with rapid speed.
When they settled on me with a look of understanding and determination, everything inside me stilled for what he was about to say.
“You know it wasn’t your fault either,” he whispered.
He lifted his hands slowly toward his face, once again waiting for my signal that he could touch me, and when given, placed his hands on top of mine.
“Thank you for listening and for allowing yourself to be vulnerable enough to get this close to me. I know how hard that has to be.”
I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat fromthe emotional rollercoaster I’d been on while the tears still slightly slipped down my cheeks, and then asked, “What happened after that night?”
Huntley’s smile—one that even reached his eyes—was full of love and admiration. Something I not only saw but with his next words heard.
“I’d only known one woman that I’d ever thought of as a warrior before I met you, and that was my mother. When my father stormed out—most likely right back to the bar—after leaving us battered and bruised, she pulled herself up, and then got us the fuck out of there.”
My eyes widened in shock. “Wasn’t she hurt badly? You said even her arm was broken.”
“Yeah, baby it was, but she took care of it later because she wasn’t waiting around for him to come back. Not after he got to me. She told me it was hard to live through what she already had but he’d cut her off from everyone she’d known, she wasn’t working because he didn’t let her, and didn’t have much money stashed away.”
When Huntley dropped his hands, I did too. But I immediately regretted it and my expression must have conveyed that because he reached forward with both his, waiting for me to grab on.
With our hands locked in one another’s again, he finished his story.
“My mom, Valerie, had no family, so it was just her and me. She took us as far away as she could, doing odd jobs along the way from some friendly people as we went, and we never looked back. As far as we know he never came looking for us and we didn’t inquire about him.”
I understood why Lake had said what she did and who wouldn’t admire a woman like Huntley’s mom.
“She sounds wonderful, Huntley.” When the words left my mouth so did a huge yawn.
He chuckled. “You need to get some sleep, sweetheart. I’ll tell you more about my mother later.”
“I’d like that.”
I meant it too. I couldn’t wait to hear more about the amazing woman he described and about their life after they left the sick man they’d escaped.
“I need you to know this. You are every bit the warrior that my mother was and is. I saw it in you from the moment I ever laid eyes on you at the fire and you’ve continued to show me how right I was. And your kids are too.”
Releasing one hand, he slowly moved it toward my face. When I smiled he finished his forward motion and gently cupped my cheek.
“I know there is more to your story and I’m here if you ever want to tell me. I don’t think my nickname for you has even touched the surface of how right it is. And I’m not going anywhere.”
My eyes closed as his words sank deep into my soul.
When I opened them again and gazed into his eyes, I let my feelings run my mouth once again. “If I was a different girl, not a twenty-eight-year-old woman who has never kissed a man, would you be kissing me right now?”
I’d seen Huntley shocked, but it wasn’t anything like it was right then at my confession. I felt my cheeks heat like they were on fire.
Good thing I have a fireman at my disposal right now.
But the embarrassment made me want to run.
“I can tell you want to retreat, but don’t move, please.”
His thumb was on the move again, tracing small circles on the side of my jaw. “I was stunned there for a minute about the kiss, but I can’t say it doesn’t please me that maybe someday I will be the first. And, sweetheart, I don’t want you to ever be a different girl.”
